The news report came amid the unrelenting accusations that the government's inept response to the sinking of the ferry Sewol resulted in the massive disaster that left more than 300 passengers, mostly young students, dead or missing.

The local daily Hankyoreh reported that between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on April 16, 2014, Park brought in a hairdresser to her presidential office Cheong Wa Dae to have her hair tied in a bun, her signature hairdo.

Citing an informed source, the daily said that it took some 90 minutes to get her hair done, and that the hairstyling coincided with the time when rescuers were frantically searching for survivors in the disaster off the southwestern island of Jindo.

Cheong Wa Dae said that it has two contract-based workers in charge of Park's hairdo and makeup, and that the two spent only 20 minutes on Park's hair after entering the presidential office at around 3:20 p.m. on the day.

The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae has repeatedly claimed that Park carried out official duties during the sinking of the ferry, receiving a total of 15 briefings on the tragedy and issuing related presidential directives.